Gates open for weekend 2 of Coachella
The second weekend of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival got underway today at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio — despite windy conditions that temporarily derailed preparations.
“They opened the doors for what looks to be another great weekend,” Indio police Sgt. Dan Marshall told City News Service. “They recovered from those strong winds. There was some damage, but everything appears to be back in order.”
Gale-force gusts prompted festival organizers to delay on-site camping until the wind subsided Thursday as a safety precaution. Campers who were left stranded by the last-minute setback took refuge in several temporary sites in Indio and neighboring cities.
“We had one peak gust recorded at 90 mph,” Marshall said. “The sustained winds were up around 40 mph.”
He said some fence lines were uprooted along the festival perimeter.
According to the National Weather Service, the high winds abated after dark Thursday, and the agency said calm conditions will prevail today, Saturday and Sunday.
Gates at the Empire Polo Grounds opened at 11 a.m. today, with The Weeknd slated to headline. The group’s Canadian singer, who recently released his new EP “My Dear Melancholy,” didn’t hold back last Friday with an emotional performance that had him visibly tearing up on stage.
Weekend Two set times will remain largely the same, with a few opening acts shuffled to different stages, but fans were encouraged to be cognizant of surprises to top Weekend One’s bevy of standout performances and guest cameos, which included 2017 Coachella headliner and recent Pulitzer Prize winner Kendrick Lamar, who made appearances during both SZA and Vince Staples’ Friday sets.
Beyonce, who headlined Saturday, orchestrated a Destiny’s Child reunion among other feats, while Sunday headliner Eminem brought out Dr. Dre, 50 Cent and Skylar Grey.
More than 119,000 people were in attendance each day of Weekend One.
The usual influx of visitors, numbering in the tens of thousands, were expected to clog up local roadways today through Sunday. Heavy traffic delays are expected on eastbound I-10, between Banning and Indio starting today.
The following roads are designated “primary access routes” for the festival:
Jefferson Street, from Interstate 10 to Avenue 52; Washington Street, from Interstate 10 to Avenue 52; Monroe Street, from Interstate 10 to Avenue 52; Highway 111 at Jefferson Street; Highway 111 at Monroe Street; eastbound Interstate 10 exit at Jefferson Street; eastbound Interstate 10 exit at Monroe Street; and eastbound Interstate 10 exit at Washington Street. Road closures include: Avenue 49, between Hjorth Street and Monroe Street; Avenue 50, between Madison Street and Jackson Street; Hjorth Street, between Avenue 49 and Avenue 50; and Madison Street, between Avenue 49 and Avenue 52.
To avoid driving altogether, festivalgoers can be ferried by ride-sharing services and taxis at the southwest corner of Avenue 49 and Monroe Street or dropped off and picked up by friends and family at the northeast corner of Avenue 52 and Madison Street.
Drivers were advised to be prepared for heavy traffic on Sunday evening and Monday after each festival weekend, with tens of thousands of campers expected to depart from the Empire Polo Grounds, filling up surface streets and westbound I-10.
In addition to music and its usual collection of massive art displays, Coachella will feature a full slate of food options, including a brand-new “Indio Central Market” patterned after the iconic Grand Central Market in Los Angeles, featuring more than 15 restaurants from across the country. Festival attendees can also opt for fare from three “pop-up” restaurants and more than 100 food vendors, amply covering a wide variety of palates and dietary restrictions.
New enhanced security measures are in effect this year, with the Indio Police Department unleashing drones to monitor crowds and traffic and making tourniquets available to be carried by officers posted at the festival.
The new security measures come after a spate of cell phone thefts during last year’s festival. Some have also questioned whether recent mass shootings like the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival rampage in Las Vegas have impacted law enforcement’s approach to security.
Marshall said the department engages in preparations for “major incidents” each year prior to the festival, and recent major shootings have not drastically affected the department’s response to the annual event.
It’s too early to say whether the new security measures are to thank for the dip in arrests during Weekend One. More than 100 people were arrested or cited for various minor drug and alcohol violations; the 106 arrests represented a 15 percent drop from last year’s initial weekend, according to police.
Information about festival maps, times and events is available at www.coachella.com.
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